Production efficiency of oyster mushroom on saw dust, wood chips and wheat substrates

Agricultural and industrial waste product has led to significant environmental challenges, including air and soil pollution, as well as the spread of insects and pathogens. To address these issues, this study analyses the possibilities of exploiting agricultural leftovers as substrates for the production of Pleurotus membranaceus (oyster mushroom), which offers both economic and nutritional benefits. The experiment assessed the impact of several substrate ratios of saw dust (SD) and wood chips (WC) coupled with wheat straw (WS) (in ratios of 100%:0%, 75%:25%, 50%:50%, 25%:75%, and 0%:100%) on the growth performance of oyster mushroom. Among all substrates, 100% WS (control) exhibited the best performance, achieving the highest yield (902.10 g) and biological efficiency (90.21%). This was followed by the 75% SD and 25% WS combination, with a yield of 705.18 g and BE of 70.52%. The lowest performance was observed with cost-effective 100% wood chips, yielding 630.08 g and BE of 63.01%. The study demonstrates the potential of WS as a substrate for oyster mushroom cultivation, promoting both waste management and susta inable agricultural practices.